Michel Labonne (1912-1990), Horse Racing, Signed Oil on Canvas, Framed

Horse Racing

This oil on canvas depicts a horse racing scene with a woman figure observing the action from the edge of the course. The composition captures the energy and forward movement of the horses and jockeys mid-race, rendered with expressive, directional brushwork and vibrant color characteristic of the Post-Impressionist manner. The palette balances the greens of the racing ground and surrounding vegetation with the warm tones of the figures, the horses, and a sky that shifts from pale blue to a more saturated tone near the horizon. The woman's presence adds a narrative element, grounding the dynamic movement of the race in a moment of human observation. The paint surface is textured and alive, with visible strokes that convey speed and atmosphere. The painting is signed in the bottom right "Michel Labonne". On the back, a letter from a gallery dated June 1966 provides additional provenance and context for the work.

About the Artist

Michel Labonne (1912-1990) was a French Post-Impressionist painter who worked during the mid-20th century, contributing to a tradition of figurative painting that valued direct observation and personal expression. He is known for his equestrian subjects, landscapes, and genre scenes, painted with a distinctive brushwork that draws on the legacy of French Impressionism while maintaining a personal, often bolder approach to color and composition. Horse racing and equestrian themes have a long and distinguished tradition in French painting, stretching from the racecourse scenes of Degas and the colorful compositions of Dufy to the work of mid-century painters who kept the subject alive. Labonne continued this lineage with works that combine the spontaneity of plein air observation with the considered structure of studio painting, capturing both the physical energy of the horses and the social atmosphere of the racing scene.